


Looming Threat

by Sephirotha



Series: Final Fantasy XIV Collection [16]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), One-Sided Attraction, Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:15:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29558961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephirotha/pseuds/Sephirotha
Summary: “I came only to remove that which threatens my beloved.  I will not have her stolen by your petty wars and cowardly weapons.”Eve is shaken by what the Echo allows her to see after Estinien returns from Garlemald.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light, Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Series: Final Fantasy XIV Collection [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1622137
Kudos: 18





	Looming Threat

_“Zenos … My foolish, greedy son… Was a second life not enough? Was the Empire too rich a prize to ignore?”_

_Varis prized the blade out of his side, snapped it and cast the piece of metal aside. He glared at his son with as much venom as a citizen of Doma or Ala Mhigo would._

_“True freedom for our nation – our people – will never be won by a spoiled princeling! The burden of this throne is beyond you.”_

_Zenos looked unaffected as he stood tall, his face betraying no emotion, if he felt any at all._

_“Tis you, Father, who have struggled with this burden. Simply holding the Empire together has occupied your limited faculties. But you may take comfort in knowing that I have no intention of pursuing your tedious agenda, nor am I interested in ruling over the Empire’s lands.”_

_His gaze grew colder._

_“I came only to remove that which threatens my beloved. I will not have her stolen by your petty wars and cowardly weapons.”_

_Zenos raised the broken blade above his head and braced. Varis’s eyes constricted._

_“Your beloved…?” he choked in disbelief. “You don’t mean…?”_

_“I need no other reason,” Zenos’s tone grew venomous. “Any and all who threaten my beloved…” His pupils took on the form of the Resonant sigil. “…will not do so twice!”_

_Varis’s cry of agony rang out in the throne room as Zenos mercilessly cut his own sire down, a delighted grin spreading across his face. Blood splattered onto the prince’s face as he withdrew, a fist against his chest as he looked up._

_“Now none will stand in our way…” he murmured. “My beast…”_

_“Zenos!” Gaius roared as he charged for him, gunblade drawn._

* * *

Eve collapsed to her knees, staring ahead with a haunted look. Her left ear was spasming as Krile, Tataru and Estinien crowded around her, the dragoon placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you alright?” he asked as the miqo’te just stared ahead.

“…No…” she murmured. “No. No, he isn’t…he…isn’t…”

Her heart was pounding wildly as she processed the vision the Echo granted her, although she wished she hadn’t seen it.

“He…isn’t…”

_He isn’t on the way here, is he?!_

Her hands flew to her mouth as her stomach churned at the thought.

“Oi, snap out of it,” Estinien shook Eve. 

She grabbed his wrist and looked pleadingly up at him. “When was this?! What happened after that?! Where is he?!”

Estinien widened his eyes a fraction. “Peered into my past, did you…?”

“Where is he?!” Eve raised her voice as she shook him. “He isn’t…he isn’t…”

“Eve, maybe you’d be best off getting some rest?” Krile reached out to pry Eve’s hand off Estinien and pet it gently. “You shouldn’t push yourself. Not after…finding out that he is alive.”

The miqo’te rigidly turned to the lalafell, heaving breaths as she processed the information. Tears streaked her cheeks as she lowered her gaze, nodding mutely. Krile smiled wider and turned to Tataru. 

“I’ll take her up. Maybe you can brew a pot of tea?”

“Okay,” Tataru nodded as she looked up at Eve with concern.

Estinien helped Eve to her feet, his eyes lingering on her left ear as it continued twitching. “Take care of yourself. It’ll be alright.”

_No…I don’t think it will…_

Eve let Krile lead her up to the quarters of the Rising Stones, her mind racing as she recalled the vision over and over.

_Did he…kill Varis because of me?_

_At least the Black Rose won’t be released now…_

_But…he shouldn’t have…no…_

_Don’t kill in my name!_

“Eve?”

The miqo’te jumped and turned to Krile, her breathing shaky as she looked at her with a pale face. The lalafell just smiled and ushered her to sit on the bed.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now. No-one is here.”

Even as she said that, Eve felt like she was being watched. She picked the chakrams off from where they hung from her sides and set them to the side. She still needed to thank Lyna for teaching her how to use them. Maybe she will next time she travelled to the First.

Krile cleared her throat. “Eve, I actually…have a confession for you.”

Eve’s right ear perked as she looked to Krile, tilting her head to the side. “What is it?”

With an awkward look, the lalafell straightened her jacket and cleared her throat again. “Well…before you left to go look for the Scions…” She sighed and pressed the middle knuckle of her index finger against her chin, closing her eyes. “The Echo came to me with a few visions of your past. I didn’t want to confront you about it at the time but now…”

Eve frowned. “What did you see, Krile…?”

“I know…what happened in Shirogane.”

Eve’s eyes constricted as she crawled away from Krile, her left ear’s twitch growing frenzied. The scholar widened her eyes and waved her hands.

“No, don’t panic! It’s alright!”

“Krile…” Eve whimpered as tears brimmed her eyes. “Krile, please…”

“I just wanted to let you know…”

The miqo’te shook her head as she pressed her fists to both sides of her head, curling into a ball with her forehead pressed against her knees. She whimpered as Krile clambered onto the bed and petted her arm.

“When he spoke of his beloved in that vision…” she said slowly, rubbing Eve’s shoulder as she began rocking back and forth. “…was he referring to you?”

Eve sucked in a sharp breath as she stopped her rocking, ears flat against her head. “That…would be a logical conclusion given what happened in Shirogane.”

“I saw one or two interactions, I didn’t see everything,” Krile spoke soothingly. “What I’m not sure I understand is why you let him in. Why did you not report this?”

Eve dropped her hands as she leaned back against the wall, her legs slumping as she looked at the ceiling.

“I honestly don’t know,” she said. “…Did you see what happened in the Sylphlands?” Krile shook her head. “Well…he was ill. I thought I’d at least keep an eye on him. It didn’t seem right to just take advantage of his weakened state. But then…one thing led to another…then he found my house in Shirogane.” She closed her eyes and growled. “And he just… _stayed._ He made himself right at home.”

“You could have approached us about it…”

“Yeah, sure,” Eve scoffed and waved dismissively. “Krile, do you not remember what he did to you? What he did to Y’shtola, Lyse…” She shook her head. “And what would the others have thought of me? Knowing I was wrapped up in this…that sordid affair…”

“You are not weak for being taken advantage of,” Krile said firmly. “He’s gone now…”

“But he’s on his way here, isn’t he?” Eve spat. “It’ll just happen all over again, except you know who he is, I have to hop back and forth from here to the First for our friends, which means he’ll need to be left alone…”

“Look at me.” The miqo’te pried her eyes open to look at the scholar with a grim look. She gripped Eve’s sleeve tighter. “What do you feel for him? You don’t have to lie anymore. Tell me what you feel when you think about him?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “I’m afraid of him. I want him gone. I d-don’t want to see him again, if at all. But he is obsessed with the idea that I’m the only one he can fight again and again. And now he thinks he’s in love with me? If he finds me again, he may very well make sure I won’t be able to run away. And even if I do defeat and kill him, he can rise back up like an Ascian!”

“But we can defeat him like an Ascian.” Eve’s eyes constricted as her blood ran cold. Krile narrowed her eyes. “Yet you seem reluctant to resort to that.”

“I…I don’t know why…” she murmured. “I…I…”

Hells, she hadn’t wanted to kill Emet-Selch. She hadn’t wanted to kill Nidhogg on the Steps of Faith. She even hesitated to use his eye against Igeyorhm. Ever since she first killed Nabriales, she had raised a shaking hand to kill anyone else.

_I’m sorry…I’m sorry!_

She had wailed and begged for forgiveness as Emet-Selch stood there with a jagged hole in his chest. Something about seeing him fade away, a genuine smile that offered hope and forgiveness on his face, it tore her apart. She felt like she had slain a friend, not foe.

“Excuse the intrusion…” Tataru chimed as she let herself in with a tray of tea. “Huh? Eve? Why are you crying?”

Eve blinked as she lifted her head, her shaking hands catching the tears rolling down her face. “Tataru…I’m sorry you have to s-see me in such a pathetic state…”

Tataru hurriedly place the tea tray on the bedside table and crawled onto the bed to place a comforting hand on her other shoulder. Eve’s sobs increased as she covered her face. Tataru’s face fell then moved Eve’s arm out of the way so she could hug her.

“It’ll be alright,” she said as Eve wiped her tears away, only paving the way for more to cascade. “You’re not alone in this. I’ll help in any way I can!”

“…If you summon your disobedient carbuncle, I could throw it in Zenos’s face…” Eve giggled and Tataru brightened up.

“Of course! I’ve been training as much as I can after all.”

“Although, with one look at the enemy, he still turns tail,” Krile commented with a giggle.

“Maybe you just need to make more rolanberry tarts for him,” Eve said with a bittersweet smile. “Disobedient pets would do anything for food.”

“I will try it the next time!”

Eve smiled and giggled as the lalafells cuddled up to both sides of her, hugging and chattering about Tataru being hopeless with her carbuncle. It only lasted for a couple of seconds before she sighed.

“I think I’ll take some time in the First to process all of this,” she said. “Maybe I can clear my head and prepare myself.”

“Of course,” Krile nodded. “We’ll keep an eye on the situation that’s developing.”

“Just stay safe!”

“Thanks, you two…” Eve sniffed as she hugged the lalafells closer. “You’re the best…”

* * *

The miqo’te sighed as soon as she was in the safety of her room in the Pendants. She dropped her chakrams and moved to the windows to open them. She smiled as she saw the clear, starry sky.

Despite all the danger, it was just soothing to look up at the clear sky, the light’s influence gone and setting the people free. She tipped her head back and smiled as she felt the wind in her face, as if trying to get rid of any evidence that she had been in tears a bell ago.

She frowned as she heard something approach and opened her arms. She leapt back with a startled gasp when she saw a shoebill perched on the railing outside of the window, staring up at her. She flattened her ears, slowly blinking and shaking her head.

“…A shoebill did not follow me here from Kholusia,” she muttered as she moved away from the window. “I’m just overthinking things.”

A knock on her door took her attention away from the peculiar visitor.

“Eve? Are you alright? I noticed you were a little…distant.”

Eve’s heart skipped a beat as she dashed to the door and opened it to see G’raha outside. Her eyes lit up and she smiled.

“I’m fine,” she said, brushing some hair out of her face. “Come in.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude…”

“G’raha, please come in,” Eve smiled brighter. “I’d love to chat with you for a while.”

G’raha blushed lightly as Eve stepped to the side then nodded. “Very well. If you’re sure I’m not interrupting anything.”

“I was about to make pancakes,” Eve grinned as she closed the door after he came in. “You should try them. Everyone back on the Source agree I make quite good ones.”

“Ah, yes, I remember you mentioned as much,” G’raha smiled as he sat by the table. “Although I don’t want to impose on you…”

“It’s not an imposition,” Eve scoffed as she sorted through her bag to pull out her skillet, eggs, flour and milk. “Would you like sugar or lemon juice?”

“Lemon…juice…”

Eve smiled warmly. “Don’t be so shy. You made me sandwiches, didn’t you? Think of this as me repaying you for your hospitality. Even if you did yank me and the Scions across space to get here.”

G’raha smiled sheepishly as she began mixing the batter. “You’ve changed. From last we met. Before I sealed the tower.”

“Of course,” Eve shrugged with one shoulder as she held the bowl and turned to him whilst mixing. “A lot happened afterwards. I ended up fighting against dragons in Coerthas, I then liberated Gyr Abania and Doma…”

“I read about the Dragonsong War,” G’raha smiled. “In Edmont de Fortemps memoirs.”

Eve paused in her mixing and blushed, chuckling to herself. “He wrote about me?”

“Very fondly, it seems. Like you were his daughter. How proud you made him.”

“And I see him as a father.” Eve sighed as she leaned against the counter, setting the bowl down. “I never knew my biological father of course. And after spending time with him as his ward, he was more than happy to adopt me like one of his own.”

“After all, family isn’t always by blood,” G’raha chuckled then looked down at his hands on the table. “I wonder what your family tree would be like if you counted all your friends as family.”

Eve laughed. “Oh my. That would be extensive. Edmont as my father, Alphinaud, Artoirel and Emmanellain as my brothers, Alisaie and Lyse as my sisters… I think the main issue would be if Y’shtola was my older sister or mother. She can nag me a lot…”

“And where would I fit, I wonder?” G’raha mused. “As a brother?”

“I hope not…” Eve’s absent-minded answer made both miqo’tes blush and look away from each other. “Pancakes! How many would you like?”

“One or two…” G’raha answered as Eve set the stove on and placed her skillet on the small fire.

His gaze lingered on her back before swivelling around to look out of the window. Eve smiled to herself as she fiddled with the handle of her skillet.

**Author's Note:**

> One more oneshot to write until the way is paved for what I might write after playing Endwalker.


End file.
